Unlike trees, harvesting bamboo does not cause their death because bamboo is a type of grass. Annual harvesting enhances the bamboo clump and improves future yield, similar to pruning fruit trees.
To prolong bamboo’s lifespan, the traditional ancestral method involves harvesting during specific moon phases and optimal hours. Timing the harvest when sugar content is lowest is crucial. With low sugar content, pests and fungi find harvested bamboo less attractive.
Sea tide activity reflects the moon phase. The moon’s gravitational pull generates the tidal force, which causes the Earth and its oceans to bulge on the sides closest to and farthest from the moon. High tides are caused by these water bulges. Everything is interconnected on a large scale. Moreover, researching the moon phase can help strengthen nails and hair.
Bamboo constructions have survived 100s of years in time and even earth quakes that would have easily destroyed modern steel cement buildings thanks to this rather simple ancestral moon phase bamboo harvesting method…
Never forget In general, when harvesting bamboo, you want to make sure that the sugar levels are very low, so that the harvested bamboo is less appealing to pests and fungal attack.
The moon’s phase determines the best days of the month.
Because of the moon’s higher gravitation, the starch content of bamboo is lowest between the 6th and 8th day after full moon. Bamboo begins transporting starch from the roots into the leaves in the morning on the basis of photosynthesis.
The best time of day based on the moon phase
Photosynthesis is at its peak during the day, producing the highest levels of sugar in sap, making this the least ideal time of day to harvest. As a result, the best time to harvest bamboo is between 12pm (midnight) and 6am, when the majority of the starch is still in the roots.
When Harvesting Bamboo
According to moon phase it has 3 main advantages:
- They are less attractive to insects
- Less heavy to transport
- Dry faster
Always Harvest Bamboo According Moon Phase
- Between the 6th and 8th day after full moon. Check your local moon calendar.
- The best time of the day to harvest bamboo, is between 12pm (midnight) and 6am, when most of the starch is still in the roots.
By making sure you’re harvesting at the right time of day and according to the moon phase. All current insects and pests will be less interested in the harvested bamboo as a result. This is how it was done for generations before our modern day.
Based on personal experience, I can assure you that bamboo deteriorates quickly when not harvested and untreated according to the moon phase. Additionally, it becomes more attractive to insects seeking the liquid in bamboo, which transforms into sugar crystals, a valuable source of pure energy.
Carbohydrates = Energy / Growth
To understand why timing of harvesting bamboo is a key element, you just have to look at the composition of bamboo. Bamboo consists of large amounts of complex carbohydrates called starch. It’s different to sugar because Starch is the storage source of energy, whereas sugar is the direct energy source. Starch is polysaccharides which contains long carbohydrate chains of glucose (a monosaccharide = a single sugar).
Bamboo plants store starch as a source of energy, which they use for growth and reproduction. The bamboo may grow quite quickly since it contains a lot of starch. Insects feed on the same starch (sugars) that humans do. This is what draws the organism’s attention.
Sugars are carbohydrates that are divided into monosaccharides and disaccharides chemically. Monosaccharides are the single sugar molecules that make up all other sugars and carbs. The bamboo culm will be more naturally resistant to those biological degrading organisms if carbs are reduced.
So, once again, harvesting the bamboo when the sugar level is at its lowest is critical. Dry the bamboo vertically to allow the reaming cells to eat any remaining sugar in the bamboo while also allowing the bamboo to lose water and humidity. Depending on the local environment and air moisture, this could take anywhere from three to six months.
Drying Harvested Bamboo
The sugar content of the bamboo culm can be further reduced after harvest by leaving the harvested culms standing after leaning against trees or a supporting framework. The sugars can now be eaten by the remaining surviving cells during this time. So, once again, harvesting the bamboo when the sugar level is at its lowest is critical. Dry the bamboo vertically to allow the reaming cells to eat any remaining sugar in the bamboo, as well as to allow the bamboo to lose water and humidity. Depending on the local environment and air moisture, this could take anywhere from three to six months.
Alternatives Methods When Not Harvesting Bamboo According To Moon Phase
Most people who harvest and treat bamboo nowadays use “sophisticated” bamboo preservation procedures such as the Boucherie method, injection of borax/boric acid solution into bamboo stalks, and fumigation. To extend the life of bamboo and timber, a substantial number of chemicals are utilized.
Traditional bamboo harvesting methods, according to legend, are no longer viable for large-scale harvesting… As you may understand, I strongly disagree with this overall approach.
When it comes to regenerative systems and solutions, the traditional bamboo harvesting approach based on moon phase makes a lot more sense. And, based on my own experience harvesting according to moon phase and constructing bamboo structures, I can attest that it does actually function as indicated. Also I’m not a big fan over making stuff over complex knowing there is a smart way of doing it right.
Popular Bamboo Treatment Methods
Keep in mind that the following bamboo treatment methods are recommended in case the bamboo is NOT harvested according to the moon phase.
Boucherie Method
The boucherie method is a technique used for preserving bamboo that utilizes pressure to inject a borax solution such into the capillaries of the bamboo pole. Essentially what you are doing is replacing the sweet sap naturally occurring in the bamboo with a chemical that kills insects.
Vertical Soak Diffusion
In this Method all the nodes except the last one are penetrated with a long iron rod with a spearhead welded on one end and a T-shaped handle on the other. After which, the bamboo are vertically placed, and preservative are poured on to them.
Soaking Method
In this process, the bamboo is immersed in water. For a period of 6 weeks the weight above keeps them below water level. This process increases the stability of the bamboo, according to local estimates, by 10 years. Starch dissolves in water and by adding the starch it melts.
Heat Treatment To Preserve Bamboo
This method is easy for anyone to utilize. Simply make an outdoor fire or by using a barbecue, get the fire hot enough to the point that it creates a bed of red hot coals. Once hot enough, just run the bamboo pole over the fire, drawing out the any resin and wiping it off as it surfaces.
Storing Bamboo Poles
